102 
THROUGH ASIA 
under no obligation in the matter of feeding them or 
attending to them. These duties were performed by two 
men, who took with them three additional horses carrying- 
supplies of forage. A jighit named Rehini Bai, an active, 
weather-beaten little fellow, who had braved wind and sun 
and cold throughout many a long journey in Central Asia, 
was appointed my right-hand man. In addition to his 
experience of Asiatic travel, he was an excellent cook, 
and spoke Russian. I gave him 25 roubles a month. 
EN ROUTE FROM MARGELAN TO THE ALAI MOUNTAINS 
together with rations and “lodging.” He had to provide 
himself with a horse and winter felts. But on this journey 
he came near to losing his life, and left me at Kashgar. 
When Rehim fell ill, his place was taken by one of the 
two horsemen who accompanied him, Islam Bai, whose 
home was at Osh in Fergana. Islam proved the bettei 
man of the two, and throughout the entire journey served 
me with a fidelity and devotion which merit the warmest 
praise. The following pages will best show how great is 
the debt of gratitude I owe to this man. W- hen he first 
came to me, I was a perfect stranger to him, and he had 
